扫除 sǎochú to clean
to clean; to clean up; to eliminate; to wipe out
How to remember 扫除: 扫 sweep + 除 remove = to clean.
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How it is used
- Literal cleaning - 大扫除 (dàsǎochú) a thorough house-cleaning; and figurative removal - 扫除障碍 (sǎochú zhàng'ài) clear away obstacles.
- The figurative sense (sweep away, eliminate) is common: 扫除文盲 wipe out illiteracy.